Amusement device



June 17, 1941. RlCE 2,246,383

AMUSEMENT DEVI CE Filed Oct. 25, 1939 s Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

ffaroZzZAliz'ce *MWW .-\ TTORNEYS June 17, 1941. H. A. RicE 2,246,383

AMUSEMENT DEVICE Filed Oct. 25, 1939 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN VENTOR.

ATTORNEYS June 17, 1941. H, A, RICE 2,246,383

AMUSEMENT DEVICE Filed Oct. 25, 1959 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR.

ffaroZaZA .Ez'ce ATTORNEYS Patented June 17, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE AMUsEMENrDEvIcE Harold A. Rice, J ackson Heights, NQY. Application October 25, 1939, Serial No. 301,167 3 Claims. I (01. 1273-142) and wherein said panels are provided with in dicia simulating a game or sport with the upper panel having openings adapted to be disposed in registry with the openings in the covering mem-' her so as to expose the indicia on the lowermost panel, the said indicia on said panels and the openings in the upper panel being so arranged as to present combinations of said indicia in ratios corresponding approximately to the game which the indicia simulates.

More particularly the invention comprehends in an amusement device or game of the indicated character, a plurality of superposed relatively movable panels having game symbols thereon and located below a fixed covering member having openings therein with the upper panel having openings adapted when registered withthe openings of the covering member to' expose therethrough game symbols on the lower panel, the game symbols on the upper panel and those on the lower panel when exposed through the openings in the upper panel being adapted to be displayed through the openingsin the covering member and said panels having spaced marginal graduation-s adapted to be aligned with the graduations on the lower panel and said panels each having corresponding varied denominations adjacent the graduations and set with reference to a fixed point on the covering member for dis posing the panels with reference toeach other and the covering member to expose the game symbols through the openings, in combination with a device having denominations corresponding with those on the panels for indicating the setting of said panels with reference to each other and the covering member.

The invention further embodies an amusement device of the indicated character in which the superposed relatively movable panels are provided with a plurality of game symbols pertaining to and in simulation of a number of games or sports capable of being jointly or severally utilized.

With these and other objects in view, the invention is set forth in greater detail in the following specification and illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which:

, Fig. 1 is a plan view of an amusement device constructed in accordance with the invention.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view"t aken approximately on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the lower panel.

Fig 4- is a similar view of the upper panel. Figs. 5 and 6 are views illustrating game devices by means of which the setting of the panels is determined.

Referring to the drawings by characters of reference, [0 designates an open box-like casing within which is secured a base ll having an upstanding centrally disposed trunnion 12. Upper and lower relatively movable panels l3 and It are arranged in superposed relation within the casing andsaid panels, as illustrated, are in the form of disks which are provided with centrally disposed openings l5 and 16 respectively, which receive therethrough the trunnion l2 so as to journal the same thereon for relative rotation. Spacing washers l1 and I8 surround the trunnion I2 and respectively are interposed between the panels or disks l3 and I4 and between the base H and the lower panel 14. A covering member 19 having a central opening 2!) receiving the trunnion I2 is disposed in superposed relation to the upper panel IS with a washer 2| surrounding the trunnion l2 and interposed between said panel and the covering member. The covering member [9 is also in the form of a disk and is retained against rotation by means of a bridge piece 22 which is anchored at one end to the covering member in any suitable manner such as by fastening elements 23 and anchored at the opposite ends by any means such as by fastening elements 2 1 to a horizontally disposed frame member 25 secured to the casing Ill. The inner peripheral edge 26 of the frame member is of a diameter which coincides substantially with the diameter of the outer p'eriphery of the lower disk or panel it, while the outer periphery of the upper panel or disk 13 is of a substantially lesser diameter than that of the lower disk M.

The lower disk or panel i4 is formed With an annular upstanding marginal rim Bl, the inner peripheral edge of which coincides substantially with the outer peripheral edge of the upper disk or panel l3. The upper disk or panel I3 is pro-. vided with an upstanding angulated marginal rim 28 defining an inwardly opening groove 29 within which the peripheral edge of the covering member I 9 is received so that the horizontal portion of the angulated rim 28 overlies and is guided by the marginal portion of the covering member.

The lower disk or panel [4 has printed or oth erwise inscribed thereon game symbols pertaining to various games or sports such as for instance, playing card representations, dice faces, distinguishingly colored rings enclosing numbers for roulette, horses and jockies with suitable distinguishing indicia adjacent thereto or any other equivalent game or sport symbols. The symbols are distributed circumferentially and radially over the upper face of the disk or panel I4.

The upper disk or panel l3 has likewise printed or inscribed on the upper surface thereof corresponding related game or sport symbols which are circumferentially and radially distributed. The upper panel or disk I3 is also provided with sets of openings 30, 3!, 32 and 33, the openings 30 being of a size and contour and located so as to coincide with and display or expose therethrough the symbols on the lower disk [4 which pertain to the horse race, while the sets of openings 3|, 32 and 33 are located. and arranged to respectively display therethrough the playing card symbols, the dice face symbols and the roulette symbols on the lower disk M. The covering member is provided with a set of three openings 35 for displaying the racing game symbols, a set of five openings-35 for displaying the card game symbols, a set of two openings 37 for displaying the dice face symbols and three openings 38 for selectively displaying the roulette symbols.

In order to gage the setting of the movable panels or disks l3 and I4 with reference to each other and the covering panel I9, the marginal rims 21 and 28 of the disks or panels I 4 and I3 are provided with circumferentially spaced depressions 40 and 4! each of which has located adjacent thereto a graduation 43 and varied denominations 44 such as identification numbers. The bridge piece 22 is provided at one of its radially disposed longitudinal edges 45 with notches 46 and 41 corresponding respectively to the depressions 4! and M to facilitate the setting of the disks by the identification denominations 44.

When the disks or panels are set at any denomination, the combination of registering openings in the upper disk or panel I 3 and the covering member I9 will expose through the openings 30, 3|, 32, 33, 35, 36, 31 and 38 the various game or sport symbols on the disks, such as the three winning horses of a race, a five card hand of playing cards, two dice faces and one roulette number and color. It will be observed that in the racing game symbols certain of the symbols are repeated, as for instance on the lower disk or panel I4 there are four horses identified as number four, three horses number six, two horses number eight, two Horses number seven, while there is only one horse number nine.

Likewise in the cord game on the lower panel or disk there are four kings of spades, three kings of hearts, two kings of clubs and no king of diamonds. The remaining cards are variously proportioned and distributed as are the dice face symbols and the roulette symbols.

On the upper disk l3 there are three number one horses, two number two horses, two number three horses and one number five horse; three kings of diamonds, one of spades with the other cards being variously proportioned and arranged as well as the dice faces and roulette numbers.

This arrangement and proportioning of the game symbols function to present combinations of the game symbols in ratios which correspond approximately to the game which the symbols are designed to simulate. In other words, assuming that the card symbols are employed for playing a game of poker, the game symbols are so arranged that there is a greater chance of a pair being displayed than two pairs, a greater chance of three of, a kind than a straight or flush, a greater chance of a full house being displayed than four of a kind and a greater chance of .four of a kind than a straight flush or a royal straight flush. Thus the game apparatus is, so constructed and arranged as to closely simulate the game of poker.

Likewise with the dice faces there is a greater chance of a seven appearing than any other number, while the chance of a six or an eight isproportionately less than a seven and more likely than a five or nine, while a five or a nine is more probable than a three or ten," et cetera.

In the horse race, the chances that horses of a certain number will appear with greater frequency than horses of other numbers are due to the fact that there are more of said certain number than others. Any suitable means may be employed for determining the setting of the panels or disks and as illustrated in Fig. 5 this means consists of a spinner device which includes a base 50 having a circular dial 5| subdivided into twelve spaces 52', each of which is provided with a numeral or equivalent denomination '53 which corresponds with the denominations 44 on the panels or disks l3 and M. In this instance, a pair of rotary pointers 54 ad 55 are provided which are distinguishingly colored to correspond with colored strippings 56 and 5! on the disk or panel rims 21 and 28 so that the disk I3 will be set in accordance with the pointer 5:1 and the disk l4 in accordance with the pointer 55.

In lieu of the spinner device shown in Fig, 5, a top may be employed as illustrated in Fig. 6, which includes a stem 58 having a knurled knob 59 at its upper end and a pointed terminal 6|] at the lower end. The top is provided with a twelve sided element 6| fixed to the stem 58 and a twelve sided element '62 which is relatively rotatable on the stem, said elements having their facets contrastingly colored to respectively correspond with the strippings 56 and 51 on the disk rims. The facets of said elements each bears thereon denominations or numbers 63 which correspond With the denomination-s 44 on the panel or disk rims. When the top is spun and rolls over and comes to rest on a surface, the two facets which are uppermost will indicate the denominations or numbers in accordance with which the disks or panels are to be set.

What is claimed is:

1. In an amusement device including superposed relatively movable panels and a fixed covering member having openings therein, said panels being provided with a set of game symbols, said upper panel having openings therein adapted to expose therethrough the symbols of the lower panel, the symbols on the upper panel and on the lower panel when exposed through the openings in the upper panel being adapted to be displayed th ough the openings in the covering member, said panels also having spaced marginal graduations, the graduations on the upper panel being adapted to be aligned with the graduations on the lower panel, said panels each having corresponding va ried denominations adjacent the graduatlons adapted for registering the graduations with a point on the covering member for setting the panels with reference to each other for varying the exposing of the game symbols through the openings in the upper panel and through the openings in the covering member.

2. In an amusement device including superposed relatively movable panels and a fixed covering member having openings therein, said panels being provided with a set of game symbols, said upper panel having openings therein adapted to expose therethrou-gh the symbols of the lower panel, the symbols on the upper panel and on the lower panel when exposed through the openings in the upper panel being adapted to be displayed through the openings in the covering member, the lower panel being of larger diameter than the supper panel and the upper panel of larger diameter than the covering member to provide exposed marginal portions of said panels each having spaced gra-duations adapted to be brought into registry with each other, and the said marginal portions of said panels having corresponding varied denominations adjacent the graduations adapted for registering the graduations with a point on the covering member for setting the panels with reference to each other so as to vary the exposing of the game symbols through the openings in the upper panel and through the openings in the covering member.

3. In an amusement device, a casing incl-uding a bottom wall, a trunnion upstanding therefrom, a marginal wall and a frame secured to the marginal wall and having a circular opening concentric with the trunnion, a pair of superposed disks having a set of game symbols thereon jourmaled for relative rotation on the trunnion, a covering member overlying the disks and having openings therein, a bridge piece secured respectively to the frame and covering member and securing the latter against rotation, the upper disk having openings therein to expose therethrough the game symbols on the lower disk, the game symbols on the upper disk and those on the lower disk when registered with the openings in the upper disk being adapted to be displayed through the openings in the covering member, the lower disk being of larger diameter than the upper disk and the upper disk being of larger diameter than the covering member to provide exposed marginal portions of lesser diameter than the circular opening of the frame and said marginal portions having spaced graduations adapted to be brought in registry with each other, corresponding varied denominations on the exposed marginal portions of the disks adjacent the graduations adapted for registry with one edge of the bridge piece for setting the disks with reference to each other so as to vary the exposing of the game symbols through the openings in the upper disk and the covering member.

HAROLD .A. RICE. 

